Before the Brand, There Was ALF: A Journey Toward Authentic Wellness

Christmas morning. Red pajamas. Brown carpet. A Talking ALF in hand. No filter, no branding—just joy.

Before I launched a nonprofit…Before I sat across from clients navigating the most tender parts of their lives…Before I ever said the words Authentic Wellness & Empowerment...

There was this kid. In footie pajamas. Holding an ALF doll. Grinning like the world was good.

That’s not a branding moment. It’s a being moment. And in many ways, that moment was the beginning of my authentic wellness journey—long before I ever knew I’d call it that. And if I’m honest, it’s what I’ve spent my whole career trying to protect—not just for myself, but for the people I work with.

Because I genuinely want to see the world be a better place. And the world only authentically gets better when each person has what they need to become better.

Wellness Was Never Meant to Be a Brand

Today, “wellness” is everywhere—branded, filtered, curated. You see it in influencers selling serenity, in pastel-toned product lines promising peace, in self-help books that tell you to hustle and rest at the same time.

And let’s be honest: a lot of people see suffering as a market opportunity. A niche to target. A problem to solve—so long as solving it boosts revenue.

But suffering isn’t just commodified. It’s also romanticized. Some see it as their chance to be the hero, the rescuer, the needed one.

But I’m not here to be needed. I’m not trying to be your hero. And I’m not in this to be a “do-gooder.”

I’m here to be helpful. To offer real tools, real insight, and real space for you to become more effective at helping yourself.

Because just being a person is hard work. And becoming a better person—more whole, more honest, more aligned with who you want to be—is even harder.

But it can be done. And it’s worth doing.

This Was Never Just About Me

If my goal was to build a successful solo counseling practice, I’ve done that. But that was just the beginning.

That’s why I went back to school for a Master’s in Counseling. Why I earned a PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision.

Because I wanted to get as close as I could to the crux and cure of human suffering—And to do it without the gimmicks, to help others step into their own authentic wellness journey in the process. Without the stigma. Without the barriers.

You don’t need to join my club. You don’t need to open your wallet. You don’t need to come every week for the rest of your life.

This isn’t about getting something from you. It’s about offering something for you.

Something real. Something research-based. Something that works.

Not my version of your life—But the tools to build the one you most want.

Why We’re Called Authentic Wellness & Empowerment

Authentic. Because this is genuine. Not gilded. Not performative. Not another dopamine hit. This isn’t about blaming others, spiraling in complaint, or slapping a Band-Aid over bullet holes in your heart.

This is real and lasting growth.

Wellness. Because the difference between illness and wellness is options. When you're in survival mode, you may only see two: fight or flee. Or sometimes, just get through the day.

But when you're well? You have many choices.

You can rest. You can create. You can speak truth. You can build boundaries. You can laugh. You can grieve honestly. You can say no. You can say yes. You can take up space. You can dream again. You can walk away. You can walk toward.

Wellness is the ability to choose freely from a life full of possibilities. We want to help you find yours.

Empowerment. Because empowerment is the antidote to exploitation and enabling.

Where some people see you as a victim, as helpless, or as a means to their own end—Empowerment says: You’re the one holding the pencil.

You’re writing your story. You have autonomy. You have volition. You have efficacy. You have power.

You’re not waiting for someone else to change so your life can improve. You’re making changes.

And if what’s holding you back is the weight of your past—If it’s stress, trauma, or messages you’ve carried that said you weren’t enough—We can work with that, too.

You can break free from the thoughts that haunted you. You can heal from the experiences that made you feel small. And you can be empowered.

Not because someone handed you power—But because you discovered it was already there.

From a Practice to a Legacy

If you think this is just about a solo practice—Let me be clear: this is just the beginning.

I’m building something meant to outlive me.

A system. A movement. A culture of wellness that goes beyond sessions and into everyday life.

We’re training up future counselors and counselor educators—people who see clients not as cases, but as human beings with agency, dignity, and possibility. We’re shaping leaders who won’t just maintain the field, but elevate it.

And part of that mission is making sure that the most life-changing insights—The things often locked away in graduate-level counseling courses—Become common knowledge.

Because understanding yourself, navigating pain, and making lasting change shouldn’t be a privilege. It should be accessible. It should be normal. It should be shared.

We want to create a world where everyday people—students, parents, workers, leaders—have access to the tools, language, and support that once felt like they were reserved for professionals.

So more people get a better start. And even after hard seasons, they get a better finish.

We’re also building a future where people can access:

• Mental health support that is honest, accessible, and trauma-informed

• Financial guidance that’s focused on clarity and freedom

• Health and nutrition that helps people reconnect with their bodies

• Movement and fitness that heals instead of shames

• Retreats that offer not escape, but re-entry—into beauty, into rest, into rediscovery

I’m not just trying to sustain this work. I’m working to grow it sustainably—not within the status quo, but far beyond it.

Growth that reaches more people. With more impact. And more integrity.

You’re Invited

This movement is bigger than me. And that’s exactly the point.

I’m not building a counseling practice I can carry alone. I’m building something so much bigger—something that requires you.

So however you want to be part of this—You’re invited.

To be a client on your path to healing. To be a counselor who shares this mission. To be a supporter of something truly needed. To be a partner in growth, service, and change.

Because Authentic Wellness & Empowerment isn’t about one person’s work. It’s about building an authentic wellness journey that includes clients, counselors, supporters, and everyday people.

It’s about all of us, stepping into the life we were made for—and making that life more possible for others.

I genuinely want to see the world be a better place. And the world only authentically gets better when each person has what they need to become better.

Let’s build that world.

Together.